1915 Proof Dollar Pattern - J-1793a-7/1965

Coin Details

Description

The seventh sub-variety of the J-1793a Pan-Pacific dollar pattern series, carrying the alternative catalog number 1965. The persistence of nine distinct sub-varieties within a single Judd number is remarkable and speaks to the depth of the design evaluation process for this rejected denomination. Each sub-variety preserves evidence of a specific combination of die state, metal composition, and striking technique that the Mint considered during its assessment of the dollar design. The Panama-Pacific Exposition itself was a triumph of ambition: spread across 635 acres of reclaimed marshland along San Francisco's Marina District, the fair featured exhibition palaces designed in a blend of Spanish Colonial and Beaux-Arts architectural styles, highlighted by Bernard Maybeck's Palace of Fine Arts. The commemorative coins sold at the exposition carried premium prices that helped fund the fair's operations, and the potential addition of a silver dollar would have broadened the program's appeal to collectors of more modest means. Though the dollar was not ultimately authorized, these patterns demonstrate that it was part of the original design conversation.

Rarity Notes

R-7 to R-8 (Extremely Rare). Sub-variety populations are typically fewer than five specimens each.

Cross References

Judd J-1793a-7, also cataloged as 1965